Table of Contents
Kickstart
Overview
Kickstart provides a means of rapid, unattended deployment of the OS. The process briefly consists of:
- Server is booted using PXE (network boot) to syslinux provided by tftp.
- Desired image is selected from the menu screen presented to the user.
- OS is deployed to server.
- Post-installation script makes appropriate changes to configurations and installs any additional packages requried.
- Build is complete.
Server Details
Kickstart is currently running on ops01.
Files can be browsed at http://192.168.123.45/ks
Directory Structure
| Directory | Description |
|---|---|
| /kickstart | Base directory for all Kickstart related files |
| /kickstart/backup | Contains backups and scripts |
| /kickstart/http | All files published by http used by Kickstart clients |
| /kickstart/tftpboot | PXE boot configs and files |
| /kickstart/http/cfg | Kickstart Configuration Files |
| /kickstart/http/extra | Additional scripts and packages |
| /kickstart/http/extra/scripts/ks_post_install | Post-install scripts |
| /kickstart/http/os | Repo/OS/Packages used for deployment |
| /kickstart/tftpboot/isolinux | Kernel and initrd files |
| /kickstart/tftpboot/msgs | Menus displayed once PXE is booted |
| /kickstart/tftpboot/isolinux | Kernel and initrd files |
| /kickstart/tftpboot/pxelinux.0 | File used to boot syslinux PXE |
| /kickstart/tftpboot/pxelinux.cfg | Names boot labels used for booting after syslinux phase |
The following files are worthy of note:
| File | Description |
|---|---|
| /kickstart/http/extra/scripts/ks_post_install/config_server.sh | The main post-install script. Everything happens from here once the initial Kickstart build has completed and the OS is installed. |
| /kickstart/http/extra/scripts/ks_post_install/mac.db | Used during post-build to match the MAC address of the server to apply the appropriate network settings. |
| /kickstart/http/extra/scripts/ks_post_install/update_tar.sh | IMPORTANT!! If you make any changes to any files you MUST run this file to update the tar file the server retrieves to run all the post install scripts. |
Post Install Scripts
After using the *.ks kickstart file to configure the server, at the bottom of the ks file is a command to wget and extract http://KS_SERVER/ks/ks_post_install.tar to /root/ks_post_install.
config_server.sh is run. This is the main file containing all directives which makes the following changes:
\\Note the variables at the top of the script.
- Sets timezone to UTC
- Syncs clock to internal NTP servers
- Set modprobe aliases for bnx2 and be2net NICs
- Set networking:
- Hostname
- IP Address, Netmask, Gateway
- Disable IPv6
- Hosts file (and additional entries only for DB servers)
- /etc/resolve.conf
- Create NIC bonding for eth0/1 (bond0) (mode=1)
- DB Only: create bond1 for eth2/3 (mode=0)
- Disable uncessary services (chkconfig off)
- Set permissions on some system dirs to tighten security
- RGS servers only: set some RGS specific OS parameters
- Create users and groups where applicable: wworks, nagios, gi-hpsim with consistent GIDs and UIDs
- Set .ssh dir such as SSH keys for wworks, nagios
- Configure server for LDAP authentication
- Set sudoers file
- Set PS1 prompt, using RED colour for root, green for non-root. (export PS1=“\u@\h \$ ”)
- Tighten sshd security and disable remote root login.
- Set login prompt (issue/banner)
- Set boot resolution to 1024×768
- Configure exim
- Set NTP sources
- Configure local yum repo
- Configure Spacewalk and register server
- Configure Syslog to gi-log01
- For servers with HBA, add recommended QLogic/HP modprobe.conf kernel options
- Configure multipath.conf with recommended HP parameters for EVA8400 or MSA P2000 G3
- DB Only: Retrieve and configure Oracle binaries, set some system parameters
- DB Only: Setup keyless SSH for Oracle between DB servers
- Install HP Support Pack RPMs
- Set VCA config and passwords (HP Version Control Agent) to gi-sma01
- Configure SNMP and set traps to gi-sma01 (HP SIM)
- Configure iLO:
- Set/update iLO Name (also appears as Blade name in Onboard Administrator GUI)
- Set/update iLO Hostname (gi-<server>i)
- Create/set usernames/passwords: gibtechops, uktechops, lvtechops
- Set SNMP traps to point to gi-sma01 (HP SIM)
- * Note: These run at first boot and you may lose access to iLO while it resets.
- Write all logs and output to /root/kickstart_logs
- Send email notification of server build
